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15 Inspiring Online Creative Writing Courses
Learn creative writing techniques for a variety of genres and audiences, with these courses taught by expert storytellers
Whether you believe in the advice “write every day” or not, there’s no denying that the best way to improve your creative writing is to practice as often as possible. Through applying different techniques and approaches, you’ll find your dream routine that unlocks your storytelling abilities.
In the 15 courses below, creative writing experts walk you through their methods, processes, and tips to write amazing stories. If you’re drawn to writing a novel, non-fiction, children’s stories, screenwriting, or poetry, you’ll find a course that will get your ideas flowing onto the page (or screen).
Courses to start a writing habit
1. Writing Exercises: From the Blank Page to Everyday Practice, a course by Aniko Villalba
Let’s start with the basics: you need to be confident getting words on the page as often as you can. Aniko Villalba (@aniko) is the author of books such as Días de viaje (2013), El síndrome de París (2016), and interactive diary Diario de viajes mágicos (2020). She also founded escribir.me, offering creativity workshops.
In this course, Aniko introduces ten creative daily writing exercises to get your mind working. From idea generation, to documenting your life, and timed writing, it’s the perfect way to fill up your notebook and build a unique writing routine.
2. Travel Journal: Illustrate Your Reality, a course by Powerpaola
If you’re stuck for things to write about, your movements through the world are a great inspiration. Powerpaola (@powerpaola) is a visual artist and illustrator who captures the world around her–from people and places to thoughts and reflections–in a travel diary.
In this course, you’ll create your own travel diary through observation, combining design and storytelling. Set out on an adventure to portray your city, your neighborhood, or even your room, while exploring illustration and writing techniques.
Courses on non-fiction and life-writing
3. Life Writing for Beginners: Telling Your Own Story, a course by Tom Bromley
Another great route into powerful writing is learning how to share your own experiences, and those of others. For author, ghostwriter, and editor Tom Bromley (@tom.bromley), life writing is like portraiture: depicting someone as they truly are with words rather than colors.
In this course, Tom takes you through the fundamentals of life writing, through research, the first draft, and the final edit. Discover techniques to retell experiences in vivid detail and build a seamless narrative piece based on an event in your life, using all your senses.
4. Creative Writing for Beginners: Bringing Your Story to Life, a course by Shaun Levin
Shaun Levin (@shaun_levin) is an author and creative writing teacher with over 20 years of experience, who has consistently brought his interests, like baking and photography, into his fiction.
In his creative writing for beginners course, you'll engage with your inner world and translate it into a piece of emotive writing using Shaun's methodology. He introduces practical exercises designed to hone your writing voice and develop a piece of writing on a subject you're passionate about.
5. Writing a Non-fiction Book: Capture Real-life Experiences, a course by Duncan Barrett
Perhaps you’re ready to write a full-length novel or memoir inspired by your experiences. Specializing in narrative non-fiction, writer and editor Duncan Barrett (@duncan_barrett) does exactly that. His work includes The Sugar Girls and GI Brides, and his book Men of Letters was nominated for the People's Book Prize.
In his course on writing non-fiction, he teaches how to mix interview methods with fiction techniques. With it, you’ll write a sample chapter from your non-fiction story and a book proposal that outlines the rest of the narrative.
Courses on fiction writing
6. Introduction to Narrative Writing, a course by Alberto Chimal
Short stories are a great way to practice your command of language and brevity. Renowned Mexican writer Alberto Chimal (@albertochimal) has authored novels, poems, short stories, essays, and works in many other formats, and his magical, speculative style is one to study.
In this course, Alberto plots out the essential steps involved in constructing a short story. You will explore key concepts such as time, character, space, plot, and structure, and examine how they work in practice.
7. The Art of Creative Writing: Learn Storytelling Techniques, a course by Reneé Bibby
A strong story structure keeps readers engaged—turning pages or scrolling paragraphs until the last sentence. In order to do that, writer and director of the Writers Studio Tucson, Reneé Bibby (@rmbibby), believes in creating a solid framework to guide your idea into a full narrative.
In this story structure and writing course, Reneé teaches you how to lay the foundation for a compelling story. You’ll create a narrative roadmap with a complete story summary and character development plan.
8. Writing a Novel Step by Step, a course by Cristina López Barrio
Cristina López Barrio (@cristinalopezbarrio) devoted herself to writing full time after being a lawyer for 15 years, and her novel La casa de los amores imposibles was so successful that it was published in 22 countries!
In this course, Cristina takes you through her creative process and explains how to write a novel, from choosing the plot to developing characters, narrators, space, and time. Great for first-time novelists, this is a toolkit for writing a captivating novel with characters your audience will love.
Writing stories for children
9. Creating Children's Stories, a course by Ilan Brenman
Writing for children comes with unique challenges, so award-winning and bestselling children's author, Ilan Brenman (@ibrenman), will guide you on your creative mission. His works have been translated into more than 15 languages worldwide.
In this course, you will learn how to tell children's stories that capture the attention of young readers. Discover how to write from folktales, describe events from everyday life, and see the world through a child’s eye.
10. Introduction to Writing a Children’s Fantasy Novel, a course by Piers Torday
Piers Torday (@ptorday), recipient of the Guardian Award for Children’s Fiction, is exactly what he wanted to be when he was a child! His job is to guide readers through what are often their first reading experiences.
Here, Piers takes you on a writer’s journey to create a children’s novel that transports little ones to another universe and inspires them to ask big questions. You’ll learn how to plan, structure, and write a full-length novel with world-building and character arcs.
11. Pitch Writing for Non-fiction Picturebooks, a course by Isabel Thomas
Non-fiction books help young readers learn about the world. Award-winning science writer and author Isabel Thomas (@isabelthomas) has written over 180 non-fiction titles, and the first step for a new project is always writing a pitch that captures a publisher’s attention.
In this course, you’ll learn how to craft and pitch an original non-fiction storybook idea. Explore strategies for ideation, storyboarding, writing a sample text, and more. Then, build your pitch: the bridge between your ideas and the moment your book is realized.
Courses for digital creative writing
12. The Power of Words in the Modern World, a course by Max Stossel
Forbes named Max Stossel (@stoss) as a Storyteller of the Year in 2016, and his poetry and digital creative writing has been viewed over 20 million times online. With a background in social media, it’s safe to say he understands and cares about communication on a deep level, and in his work he raises awareness about balancing tech with our human nature and creativity.
In his course, you’ll learn Max’s specific technique to write powerful digital stories that get to the core of a subject. Your final project will be a piece of poetry, prose, or abstract work that resonates with you and your audience.
13. Make Viral Digital Literature, a course by Ben Clark
In this online course, poet Ben Clark (@benclarkpoeta) shares the secrets of digital creative writing. He is an expert on the relationship between poetic texts and social media, and has launched viral digital initiatives such as #Coronaversos, a project encouraging people to share poems during the pandemic.
Here, you’ll learn how to write poems designed to be posted on social media, as well as compiled in a book. Discover what features they should have and how to increase their potential to capture the imagination of thousands.
Courses on screenwriting
14. Screenwriting Essentials: Create, Write, and Develop for TV, a course by HaJ
Writing doesn’t stop at the page, but nowadays often comes to life on-screen. Screenwriter, producer, director, and performer HaJ (@haj) has been acting, writing, and producing for most of her life. She has worked with studios like ABC, CBS, VH1, and Disney.
In this screenwriting course for beginners, she takes you step-by-step through the process, from idea generation to preparing to write your script. Organize and structure your ideas, then translate them into a pilot outline for a TV show.
15. Script Writing for Movies and Television, a course by Julio Rojas
Julio Rojas (@juliowriter) is a 2012 Goya Award-winning writer and screenwriter who has developed a method called Script Folder, designed to help you tell a story and tackle the world of screenwriting.
If you have a story in mind, this course on script writing for movies and TV will teach you techniques, tools, and tricks to turn your ideas into an organic and coherent narrative system, ready to be written.
Nurture your creative writing skills with these resources
1. Discover more Domestika writing courses covering many forms and commercial genres like thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, and horror.
2. Get inspired by these 10 powerful examples of life writing.
3. Deep-dive into character development with this post packed with advice from writer Mark Boutros.
English version by @eloiseedgington, updated by @lauren_duplessis.
1 comment
powerpaola
Teacher Plus♡